That the Parliament recognises the life of Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, the last leader of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, who sadly passed away on 30 August 2022; sends its condolences to his colleagues, friends and loved ones; believes that his leadership was one of peace-building, from withdrawing troops from the Soviet–Afghan War, to embarking on talks with the United States of America to limit nuclear weapons and end the Cold War, both of which, it understands, resulted in him being awarded with the Freedom of Aberdeen in December 1993; commends the work of this Nobel Peace Prize-winning politician, his dedication to glasnost, which can be translated as openness, freedom of speech and democratisation, and perestroika, which can be translated as restructuring which, it understands, led to decentralisation and economic reform, and considers that his belief in these ideals gave freedom and hope to people across Eastern Europe, the Caucuses, Central Asia and the world, as well as earning the enduring admiration and respect of the citizens of Aberdeen.